Health Insurance In Chiang Mai

[westbounder]

Do any of the local hospitals here in Chiang Mai offer health insurance?

I am 53, healthy and I can afford to pay a maximum of 30,000 baht per year, any recomendations other than high price BUPA?

I heard Bupha Thailand Insurance was good but very expensive.

[tpthai2]

I would like to know as well. BUPA is 120K this year at renewal. No longer an option.

[wolf5370]

AIA Thailand - but you will need to have a work permit to be accepted (dunno why - the answer I got was so that they know you will not suddenly leave the country - and a blank look to - "but as I have to pay up front, if I run off then you get to keep my money with no risk of me claiming any of it") Anyway, quite cheap (a lot cheaper than BUPA) and accepted in all the hospitals I've tried (to get those nice little cards to avoid queuing should I need to go to one). Claimed once two years ago, my daughter spent two days and one night in a private hospital (I stayed too) - private room (had it's own kitchen, very large shower room, with shower and bath, electronic bed, couch and chairs, stocked mini-fridge), nurse checks every 30 mins, doctor twice a day, food, cable TV, drugs, drip, take home medicine, check up a week later - total cost to me, 140b (the food I personally ate from the mini-fridge). No rise on insurance. Insurance lady, Pat, met us at the hospital, did all the forms for us (I just signed the insurance ones) and we jumped the line (not my doing, it just happens). They have been good for me - also Pat takes us out for a good meal (Monkey Tree last time) on her expenses every year when renewal is coming up - Its about 20k for my two daughters together and about 30k for me, but we took a good plan - there are several to choose from and prices to go with them.

[cmsally]

AIA Thailand - but you will need to have a work permit to be accepted (dunno why - the answer I got was so that they know you will not suddenly leave the country - and a blank look to - "but as I have to pay up front, if I run off then you get to keep my money with no risk of me claiming any of it") Anyway, quite cheap (a lot cheaper than BUPA) and accepted in all the hospitals I've tried (to get those nice little cards to avoid queuing should I need to go to one). Claimed once two years ago, my daughter spent two days and one night in a private hospital (I stayed too) - private room (had it's own kitchen, very large shower room, with shower and bath, electronic bed, couch and chairs, stocked mini-fridge), nurse checks every 30 mins, doctor twice a day, food, cable TV, drugs, drip, take home medicine, check up a week later - total cost to me, 140b (the food I personally ate from the mini-fridge). No rise on insurance. Insurance lady, Pat, met us at the hospital, did all the forms for us (I just signed the insurance ones) and we jumped the line (not my doing, it just happens). They have been good for me - also Pat takes us out for a good meal (Monkey Tree last time) on her expenses every year when renewal is coming up - Its about 20k for my two daughters together and about 30k for me, but we took a good plan - there are several to choose from and prices to go with them.

That seems like a good price, do you have the details?

[wolf5370]

AIA Thailand - but you will need to have a work permit to be accepted (dunno why - the answer I got was so that they know you will not suddenly leave the country - and a blank look to - "but as I have to pay up front, if I run off then you get to keep my money with no risk of me claiming any of it") Anyway, quite cheap (a lot cheaper than BUPA) and accepted in all the hospitals I've tried (to get those nice little cards to avoid queuing should I need to go to one). Claimed once two years ago, my daughter spent two days and one night in a private hospital (I stayed too) - private room (had it's own kitchen, very large shower room, with shower and bath, electronic bed, couch and chairs, stocked mini-fridge), nurse checks every 30 mins, doctor twice a day, food, cable TV, drugs, drip, take home medicine, check up a week later - total cost to me, 140b (the food I personally ate from the mini-fridge). No rise on insurance. Insurance lady, Pat, met us at the hospital, did all the forms for us (I just signed the insurance ones) and we jumped the line (not my doing, it just happens). They have been good for me - also Pat takes us out for a good meal (Monkey Tree last time) on her expenses every year when renewal is coming up - Its about 20k for my two daughters together and about 30k for me, but we took a good plan - there are several to choose from and prices to go with them.

That seems like a good price, do you have the details?

Not sure ehat you need, but its website is http://www.aia.co.th/ in both Thai/English. Number I have is 0817164964, but never called it (Mods - this is a business number not a personal, so should not breach the forum rules posting it). It's a Privilege Plan (think Gold Level - but it was years ago I read the leaflets - perhaps the website will help there).

[westbounder]

Thanks a million, AIA sounds awesome but I have a retirement Visa.

If anyone hears, please let me know if AIA will accept me without a work permit.

Joe

[andvari26]

I am gobsmacked re the BUPA comments, did you get your price from the UK ? I did that once & near passed on.

I am with BUPA direct from their office near JJ - I am 55 and have enough cover to have heart surgery, a friend had a double stent on the same level of cover as me - 400,000 Baht.

Cover in Private Room etc etc = all good acceptable options, choice of Hospitals

Total cost was 17 - 18,000 Baht a year ! the next level up is at 500k is only 22,000 P/A which I will renew to in June - not 100k ? ?

You also get a 10% rebate on renewal every year you do not claim.

I suggest you re look at the details & check carefully what ever you are getting - seems a mistake or 3 may be in play

[tpthai2]

I am gobsmacked re the BUPA comments, did you get your price from the UK ? I did that once & near passed on.

I am with BUPA direct from their office near JJ - I am 55 and have enough cover to have heart surgery, a friend had a double stent on the same level of cover as me - 400,000 Baht.

Cover in Private Room etc etc = all good acceptable options, choice of Hospitals

Total cost was 17 - 18,000 Baht a year ! the next level up is at 500k is only 22,000 P/A which I will renew to in June - not 100k ? ?

You also get a 10% rebate on renewal every year you do not claim.

I suggest you re look at the details & check carefully what ever you are getting - seems a mistake or 3 may be in play

Gobsmaked Duay,

Yes, BUPA Thai, mail office. After 60 or so they start raising it clames or no clames. Have been with them for 7 years.

They only offer me the Platinum policy, 5 million. A few years ago they said the Gold and Silver, as they used to call them, policies were no longer available. 100K now. No claims. Thanks for your post and to all the posters, thank you.

[DavidOxon]

You Don't need a work permit for AIA insurance (assurance)

Jup Jang Ball is an English speaking insurance agent and can give you a no obligations quote for both AIA and BUPA

her contact is

[email protected] 081 5300 388

[koosdeboer]

All these insurances look great until you need expensive outpatient care for cancer. It's all in patient cover and that is most of the time very cheap here, especially if you can choose the hospital. A private room in Sriphat hospital in Chiang Mai starts at 900 THB a day and ICU is only 3000 THB a day.

Cancer medicine can be as expensive as 300000 THB a month easily.

Careful with AIA, often they give you a package, life and health insurance, which you don't need. Good business for the agents, why do you think that they take you out for a diner?

[DavidOxon]

All these insurances look great until you need expensive outpatient care for cancer. It's all in patient cover and that is most of the time very cheap here, especially if you can choose the hospital. A private room in Sriphat hospital in Chiang Mai starts at 900 THB a day and ICU is only 3000 THB a day.

Cancer medicine can be as expensive as 300000 THB a month easily.

Careful with AIA, often they give you a package, life and health insurance, which you don't need. Good business for the agents, why do you think that they take you out for a diner?

You can add outpatient as an option with BUPA.

Some OP procedures are covered in some of the AIA policies (Such as endescope that can set you back 20k + 0

[DavidOxon]

I am gobsmacked re the BUPA comments, did you get your price from the UK ? I did that once & near passed on.

I am with BUPA direct from their office near JJ - I am 55 and have enough cover to have heart surgery, a friend had a double stent on the same level of cover as me - 400,000 Baht.

Cover in Private Room etc etc = all good acceptable options, choice of Hospitals

Total cost was 17 - 18,000 Baht a year ! the next level up is at 500k is only 22,000 P/A which I will renew to in June - not 100k ? ?

You also get a 10% rebate on renewal every year you do not claim.

I suggest you re look at the details & check carefully what ever you are getting - seems a mistake or 3 may be in play

Gobsmaked Duay,

Yes, BUPA Thai, mail office. After 60 or so they start raising it clames or no clames. Have been with them for 7 years.

They only offer me the Platinum policy, 5 million. A few years ago they said the Gold and Silver, as they used to call them, policies were no longer available. 100K now. No claims. Thanks for your post and to all the posters, thank you.

That's the problem with BUPA over AIA, they can and do move the goal posts as you get older/claim

AIA don't so this as a predominantly Assurance company

[Semper]

I am gobsmacked re the BUPA comments, did you get your price from the UK ? I did that once & near passed on.

I am with BUPA direct from their office near JJ - I am 55 and have enough cover to have heart surgery, a friend had a double stent on the same level of cover as me - 400,000 Baht.

Cover in Private Room etc etc = all good acceptable options, choice of Hospitals

Total cost was 17 - 18,000 Baht a year ! the next level up is at 500k is only 22,000 P/A which I will renew to in June - not 100k ? ?

You also get a 10% rebate on renewal every year you do not claim.

I suggest you re look at the details & check carefully what ever you are getting - seems a mistake or 3 may be in play

Agree with this. Have a friend 64, and he pays 17 000/ year, covers 380K but he has to pay 20% of the bill.

[koosdeboer]

All these insurances look great until you need expensive outpatient care for cancer. It's all in patient cover and that is most of the time very cheap here, especially if you can choose the hospital. A private room in Sriphat hospital in Chiang Mai starts at 900 THB a day and ICU is only 3000 THB a day.

Cancer medicine can be as expensive as 300000 THB a month easily.

Careful with AIA, often they give you a package, life and health insurance, which you don't need. Good business for the agents, why do you think that they take you out for a diner?

You can add outpatient as an option with BUPA.

Some OP procedures are covered in some of the AIA policies (Such as endescope that can set you back 20k + 0

Look carefully, you probably will see a maximum of a few thousand THB for outpatient. Not worth it.

[onthedarkside]

Look carefully, you probably will see a maximum of a few thousand THB for outpatient. Not worth it.

I have BUPA (Thailand) and the OPD extra premiums just don't seem worth the cost, so I don't bother with that option.